A Catholic Pilgrimage Tour to Italy

April 21, 2024 – Sunday
BOSTON / ITALY
Today we gather at Boston’s Logan International Airport for this evening’s direct flight to Italy. Meals are served on board our flight.

April 22, 2024 – Monday
ROME
Today we arrive in Rome and meet our Pilgrimage Tours’ tour director, who will remain with us until the end of our tour. We board our motor coach and enter the Eternal City for a visit to one of Rome’s wonderful Basilica of Saint Paul’s Outside the Walls, where the Apostle is buried. Following free time for lunch, we arrive at the ancient Catacombs of St. Calixtus, passing by the ancient Appian Way, the traditional pilgrims’ route followed by Peter and Paul. Following our visit and celebration of Mass at the Catacombs, we arrive at our hotel for check-in. Following dinner, we enjoy a panoramic motor coach tour of “illuminated Rome by night”, that will include a walk to the world famous Trevi Fountain, culminating with our arrival in Piazza di Spagna where we will see the famous Spanish Steps. Overnight in Rome.

April 23, 2024 – Tuesday
ROME
This morning we will visit the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore (St. Mary Major), the most important church in the world devoted to Our Lady and where Mass has been celebrated every day since the 5th century. Following Mass at St. Mary’s, we will visit the beautiful Church of Santa Prassede, which houses a piece of The Column of the Flagellation, where Jesus was scourged before his crucifixion. From here we drive to the Basilica of St. Peter in Chains, which contains a glass reliquary displaying the chains of Saint Peter. The basilica also houses a mosaic of St. Sebastian and Michelangelo’s Moses. Following free time for lunch, we enjoy a guided tour of the world-famous Colosseum. Following our visit to the Colosseum, we will drive to Capitoline Hill, where we will enjoy a view of the ancient Roman Forum, Constantine’s Arch, the Arch of Titus and the Circus Maximus. Later in the afternoon we will visit another of Rome’s major basilicas; St. John Lateran, the Pope’s cathedral church where relics of both Sts. Peter and Paul remain under the main altar. Here we will see its impressive statues of each of the Apostles. From here we cross the street to visit the church of the Scala Santa. Here we see the Holy Staircase of 28 marble steps (now covered in wood) which is believed to be a staircase from Pilate’s palace in Jerusalem and brought to Rome by St. Helen in the 4th century. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

April 24, 2024 – Wednesday
ROME – Papal Audience
Today we will visit the Vatican for an Audience with the Holy Father. Following our time with Pope Francis and free time for lunch, we will visit the Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme (Church of the Holy Cross), which houses pieces of the True Cross. Following free time for lunch, we will visit the Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo, where we will see two paintings from Caravaggio; The Crucifixion of St. Peter&The Conversion of St. Paul, followed by free time to explore Piazza del Popolo (the People’s Square). Finally, we will visit the Church of Our Lady of Victory, housing Bernini’s glorious statue The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

April 25, 2024 – Thursday
ROME – the Vatican
This morning we arrive at the Vatican for a celebration of Mass in Saint Peter’s Basilica. Following Mass, we enjoy a guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica, where we see a young Michelangelo’s wonderful Pieta followed by a visit to the Vatican Grottos. In the afternoon, we will visit one of the great art collections in the world, the Vatican Museums. Our tour culminates with Michelangelo’s masterpiece, the Sistine Chapel, which was recently restored to its original splendor. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

April 26, 2024 – Friday
ROME
This morning we will visit and celebrate Mass at the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. The basilica houses the tombs of St. Catherine of Siena and the great early Renaissance painter Fra Angelico. Next, we will visit the world-famous Pantheon. Following free time for lunch and shopping in the vibrant Piazza Navona, we arrive for a visit to the Church of the Gesu’, mother church of the Jesuit Order, which contains the remains of its founder Saint Ignatius of Loyola. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

April 27, 2024 – Saturday
ROME / ORVIETO / ASSISI
Today we will enjoy a drive north through the Umbrian Hills to the town of Orvieto for a visit to its impressive Cathedral, dedicated to the Assumption of Mary, where the blood-stained linen corporal of the Miracle of Bolsenais enshrined. Following Mass, we will visit the Chapel of San Brizio and admire its beautiful fresco paintings. Later in the afternoon we drive to Assisi, home of Saint Francis, the gentlest of saints, where we check into our hotel, followed by dinner.Overnight in Assisi.

April 28, 2024 – Sunday
ASSISI
This morning we awake in Assisi, where we will enjoy a full day visiting the important sites in the life of Saint Francis. We begin our day with a visit and celebration of Mass in the Basilica of Santa Maria degliAngeli, built to enclose the tiny Church of the Porziuncola, St. Francis’ first retreat and place of prayer, where he consecrated Clare as the Bride of Christ. Following Mass, we visit the Basilica of St. Clare, the foundress of the Poor Clare nuns, and see the crucifix that spoke to St. Francis in San Damiano.Following free time for lunch in Assisi’s historic center, we will visit the Cathedral of San Rufino where both St. Francis & St. Clare were baptized. We will next visit the Upper and Lower Basilicas of St. Francis, followed by a visit to San Damiano to pray in the place where Francis wrote the “Canticle of the Sun”. Dinner and overnight in Assisi.

April 29, 2024 – Monday
ASSISI / SIENA / ROME
Today we drive to the Tuscany region of Italy and the quiet, medieval town of Siena, the hometown of Saint Catherine, whose feast day we celebrate today. Siena is second only to Florence in its contribution to the Renaissance. In Siena we will visit and celebrate Mass at the Basilica of San Domenico, followed by a walking tour of Siena’s historic center. Following free time for lunch in Piazza del Campo, we will visit Siena’s magnificent dark-green and white striped Cathedral, dedicated to St. Mary of the Assumption. Our day of sightseeing in Siena concludes with a visit to the Church of the Crucifix to see the Cross from that Saint Catherine received the stigmata. Late afternoon we return to Rome andenjoy our “farewell dinner” at Ristorante La Carovana. Overnight in Rome.

April 30, 2024 – Tuesday
ROME / BOSTON
Following breakfast, we transfer to Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Fiumicino for our return flight to the United States. Though our time of pilgrimage in Italy has come to its conclusion, its blessings will last a lifetime and its graces are certain to draw us closer to the Lord.